About Women Diver's Hall of Fame

Dedicated to Recognizing and Honoring the Contributions of Women Divers

WDHOF Members are the pioneers, leaders, innovators and world record holders throughout the international diving community. These areas of diving and undersea endeavors include: the Arts, Science, Medicine, Exploration & Technology, Underwater Archeology, Business, Media, Training & Education, Safety, Commercial & Military Diving, Free Diving, and Underwater Sports. There are currently 223 Members in the Women Divers Hall of Fame, hailing from 30 U.S. states and Territories and 18e countries worldwide. WDHOF Members are selected on an annual basis. For nomination requirements and profiles of WDHOF Members, visit the Nominations Page.

Where Is WDHOF?

Each year, the members of WDHOF attend various consumer diving expositions, the DEMA show (for diving professionals only) as well as symposia, conferences, seminars and special events throughout the United States. These venues allow our members the opportunity to give presentations/seminars about their areas of expertise and allow the ability for our members to meet and speak directly with the public.

What began as a tribute tothe leading women divers of the Twentieth Century soon developed into a widervision when it began recognizing still more of the women divers who werecontributing significantly to the exploration, greater understanding,safetyand enjoyment of our underwater world. Their contributions spanned generations in awide variety of specialty fields, including Arts, Sciences, Medicine, Sports,Exploration, Archaeology, Media, Safety, Education, Service, Business,Environment and Conservation. Thus theWomen Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) was born.

The members of WDHOF are an elite group that includes the most notable women leaders and innovators in the diving community. It became the goal of it’s founders to recognize and honor, while raising public awareness of these women’s exceptional contributions. WDHOF was founded in 1999, and continues to be a collaborative effort between Beneath the Sea, Inc., the Underwater Society of America, the Women’s Scuba Association, Women Underwater, Hillary Viders, Ph.D., and Capt. Kathy A. Weydig.

There were seventy-two honorees on WDHOF’s inaugural roster. It was impressive to watch these women gather together at Beneath the Sea to receive their honors. Here were the top women divers of our time, from across the world, standing in awe of each other, as well-known name met well-known name for the first time. It was a gathering of eagles, this outstanding group of women who have established milestones in many diverse fields of diving.

Needless to say the debut and inaugural events of WDHOF were a huge success and the catalyst to continue it into the future! Throughout the following year those members that were unable to attend the Inaugural Awards Ceremony, were able to accept their awards at various dive expositions and other professional venues. In doing so they made the presence of WDHOF well known across America and throughout the world.

January 2001 brought WDHOF to the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) a dive show exclusively for the trade. Here, for the first time in front of the entire dive industry, WDHOF inducted the remaining members that they hadn’t been able to induct throughout the year. Notable among that group were Zale Parry, star of “Sea Hunt”, Dr. Eugenie Clark, also known as the “Shark Lady” as well as veteran wreck diver Evelyn Dudas and safety expert Andrea Zaferes.

Close to 100 attendees and media people looked on as a large group of fellow Inaugural Inductees, also attending DEMA, gathered for a dazzling show of the force of women-in-diving and their incomparable achievements. The applause and kudos that recognized these exceptional women and their achievements overwhelmed everyone present.

Nominations were received throughout the year 2000, surveyed, and screened by the WDHOF Selection Committee and its Board of Directors. Thirty-one new members were selected and inducted for 2001. The same nomination and selection process continued throughout 2001 and 16 new members were inducted in 2002.

WDHOF has garnered international acclaim by the men and women of the corps of divers, and the professionals in the industry. Learn more about the fascinating members of WDHOF by visiting the member roster pages.

Stay in Touch

WDHOF, Inc.
Bonnie Toth
503 Via Florida
San Clemente, CA 92672
Recognizing the contributions of
women pioneers, leaders and innovators in the many fields of diving; Promoting careers & opportunities for women in the dive community.